Isn't a woman's monthly cycle fascinating? Not only is her body preparing physically to conceive, but emotionally and physiologically she is also preparing for what Motherhood will bring.
I started to chart when I had been breastfeeding my firstborn for six months. Knowing I planned to breastfeed for as long as my daughter was interested, I had no desire to take birth control pills and the thought of my husband using a sleeve wasn't appealing either. I searched the nearest Chapters to find a planned parenthood book and found one published by the Catholic church. I am not catholic, but was interested in reading more. As it turned out, my breasts were the source of comfort, food and entertainment for my daughter, so I had plenty of time to sit and read.
In the beginning, the thought of charting was a bit daunting. Checking my cervical fluid for elasticity, knowing whether my cervix was high or low, taking my temperature every morning...ew, who does that?! Not committed 100%, I charted on and off for a few months until my daughter was nearing one year old. It was when I wanted to conceive another child I dove head first into daily charting. I knew my daily waking temperature, the day my period would start, the day it would end, when my cervix was low, firm and closed or high, soft and open, what my cervical fluid was like, how it looked and the exact day of my ovulation. My husband was not interested to hear any of the details, just wanted to know when we'd have sex.
Charting worked like a charm, we conceived our second child and eventually our third child. I no longer chart, but because I spent so many years tuned into my body I still know what part of my cycle I'm in. Once tuned into my body, I could even feel the egg bursting out of my ovary! Amazing.
Ovulation is a beautiful thing! Emotionally, I can take on the world when I'm close to ovulating and the days following. I am on a natural, albeit hormonal, high. It's my best time of the month to try new things, dare myself to change and have incredible intimacy with my husband. I feel vibrant, sexy and all of my senses are heightened.
I often wonder if other women feel the emotional changes. Are they tuned in to their body to notice the change? Many women notice the emotional changes the week preceding their period, the negative energy, the intensity of sadness, anger, frustration. I notice my self-confidence is a bit shaky and my critical inner voice talks a little bit louder.
By tuning in to the positive energy I feel during ovulation, I am now able to balance the negative that sometimes comes with my period. I know that during menses I need to be easier on myself. I remind myself the critical voice is only my ego, and if I place the voice in my heart center, it becomes soft and loving.
Yes, ovulation is a beautiful time in the monthly cycle....I wonder if I will feel the same when my daughters start their cycle.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Monday, July 6, 2009
Sunday, July 5, 2009
renovations gone wrong
I am of the opinion when I pay someone a substantial amount of money a job will be done accurately. I know we are human, and as such we make mistakes. I accept this, but would like to know why some people make the same mistake over and over?!
Recently, we spent a large amount of money to have our kitchen and the main floor of our house renovated.
When the job ran over time, we expected and accepted it.
When the counter was too long, we asked them to recut to the correct length.
When the cupboards were ordered incorrectly, we modified our original design and ordered two smaller cupboards rather than send back the upper and lower bank of cupboards already installed.
When the contractor drilled too far and put holes in the adjoining dining room wall, we just asked him to patch the holes.
When the contractor re-installed the powder room vanity too far from the wall, we just politely pointed it out and asked him to move it to the original spot.
When our household alarm started to make loud alarm bleeping sounds in the middle of the night, after freaking out, I called our alarm rep and following his instructions found the contractor had tripped the breaker switch causing the alarm battery to run out.
When the alarm started making a different bleeping sound in the middle of the afternoon, our alarm rep spent two hours to figure out we had a leak from our laundry room running into our electrical box! The next day when I told the contractor about the leak and it took him a week to fix it.
When they hooked up the water line to our fridge and the next day we found it was leaking into the basement, we asked them to come back to fix it.
When Mike, a different contractor, told us the back splash was crooked, we tried to come up with a solution other than taking it down. It's still crooked and it bothers me every time I look at it.
Tonight as two of my children had just fallen asleep the alarm started to make the loud bleeping sound AGAIN! We ran down to check the electrical box and sure enough the leak is still there!
Now I'm mad. We've been accommodating and polite with the contractors because we expected there would be some issues. We had heard renovation horror stories from friends so we thought the little things that happened weren't as bad as what others had lived through. As I sit here recounting all the mishaps, I feel like we've been way too passive.
If the squeaky wheel gets the grease, it's time for us to start screeching. I have not been able to contact our alarm rep so my fingers are crossed it doesn't go off again and wake the kids. Thank goodness tomorrow is Monday and the renovation shop is open.
The contractor said, "You'll love me in the beginning, hate me in the middle, and love me in the end." I'm still waiting to feel the love.
Recently, we spent a large amount of money to have our kitchen and the main floor of our house renovated.
When the job ran over time, we expected and accepted it.
When the counter was too long, we asked them to recut to the correct length.
When the cupboards were ordered incorrectly, we modified our original design and ordered two smaller cupboards rather than send back the upper and lower bank of cupboards already installed.
When the contractor drilled too far and put holes in the adjoining dining room wall, we just asked him to patch the holes.
When the contractor re-installed the powder room vanity too far from the wall, we just politely pointed it out and asked him to move it to the original spot.
When our household alarm started to make loud alarm bleeping sounds in the middle of the night, after freaking out, I called our alarm rep and following his instructions found the contractor had tripped the breaker switch causing the alarm battery to run out.
When the alarm started making a different bleeping sound in the middle of the afternoon, our alarm rep spent two hours to figure out we had a leak from our laundry room running into our electrical box! The next day when I told the contractor about the leak and it took him a week to fix it.
When they hooked up the water line to our fridge and the next day we found it was leaking into the basement, we asked them to come back to fix it.
When Mike, a different contractor, told us the back splash was crooked, we tried to come up with a solution other than taking it down. It's still crooked and it bothers me every time I look at it.
Tonight as two of my children had just fallen asleep the alarm started to make the loud bleeping sound AGAIN! We ran down to check the electrical box and sure enough the leak is still there!
Now I'm mad. We've been accommodating and polite with the contractors because we expected there would be some issues. We had heard renovation horror stories from friends so we thought the little things that happened weren't as bad as what others had lived through. As I sit here recounting all the mishaps, I feel like we've been way too passive.
If the squeaky wheel gets the grease, it's time for us to start screeching. I have not been able to contact our alarm rep so my fingers are crossed it doesn't go off again and wake the kids. Thank goodness tomorrow is Monday and the renovation shop is open.
The contractor said, "You'll love me in the beginning, hate me in the middle, and love me in the end." I'm still waiting to feel the love.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
morning calm
I'm an early riser which means I wake up at an hour when most of the world is still sleeping, slip from my bed, sneak downstairs to enjoy a large mug of tea while I savour the silence of my home, meditate, photograph the garden, journal, write, or simply appreciate all the good in my life. To be honest, I rise early in a quest to relive what I loved about being single.
What I have to admit is most mornings I wake up, roll out of my king sized bed, tiptoe across the room as to not wake my husband, three children or the two dogs. Do any of you have children or dogs, or both?!
The minute my feet hit the carpet, Ruby, my boxer, is awake and whining, above a whisper, at the top of the stairs! I do my best to ignore her, look the other way, stand up tall, freeze, but my tactics cannot fool her. She's doing her boxer dance and howling to let the whole world know...."I'm going outside and it's time for breakfast!" If her singing does not wake the household, the squeaky gate at the top of the stairs often does the trick. I could remove the gate, but the morning ritual of Ruby doing the 68 pound dance of joy on my thighs was taking its toll. The spiral staircase should be an easy route. I've been walking down stairs for forty years now, but it becomes tricky when Ruby follows behind with her head up my butt.
Downstairs there are only three hurdles to complete before the silent house is mine! I have to keep Ruby quiet on the hardwood floor, shut off the alarm, and open the back door. I have to mention, Ruby is part kangaroo, so walking to the door is not an option for her, she hops, loudly. I quickly grab her collar to calm her then shut off the alarm. My pulse quickens as I only have to open the back door before I can enjoy the silence. At the door, Zebo, our boston terrier, takes over where Ruby's jumping left off, boink, boink boink. They settle and wait for the door to slide open so they can charge out to chase the squirrel taunting them from the fence.
Ahhhhh, I did it! A small feat for a single woman, a leap of glory for this Mom! I turn on the kettle, take my favourite mug off the shelf, then hear the upstairs gate rattle open and my kids whisper as they tiptoe downstairs.
I look out at the beautiful sun filled morning and remind myself, I love my kids, I love my dogs, I love my life.
Enjoy your day!
What I have to admit is most mornings I wake up, roll out of my king sized bed, tiptoe across the room as to not wake my husband, three children or the two dogs. Do any of you have children or dogs, or both?!
The minute my feet hit the carpet, Ruby, my boxer, is awake and whining, above a whisper, at the top of the stairs! I do my best to ignore her, look the other way, stand up tall, freeze, but my tactics cannot fool her. She's doing her boxer dance and howling to let the whole world know...."I'm going outside and it's time for breakfast!" If her singing does not wake the household, the squeaky gate at the top of the stairs often does the trick. I could remove the gate, but the morning ritual of Ruby doing the 68 pound dance of joy on my thighs was taking its toll. The spiral staircase should be an easy route. I've been walking down stairs for forty years now, but it becomes tricky when Ruby follows behind with her head up my butt.
Downstairs there are only three hurdles to complete before the silent house is mine! I have to keep Ruby quiet on the hardwood floor, shut off the alarm, and open the back door. I have to mention, Ruby is part kangaroo, so walking to the door is not an option for her, she hops, loudly. I quickly grab her collar to calm her then shut off the alarm. My pulse quickens as I only have to open the back door before I can enjoy the silence. At the door, Zebo, our boston terrier, takes over where Ruby's jumping left off, boink, boink boink. They settle and wait for the door to slide open so they can charge out to chase the squirrel taunting them from the fence.
Ahhhhh, I did it! A small feat for a single woman, a leap of glory for this Mom! I turn on the kettle, take my favourite mug off the shelf, then hear the upstairs gate rattle open and my kids whisper as they tiptoe downstairs.
I look out at the beautiful sun filled morning and remind myself, I love my kids, I love my dogs, I love my life.
Enjoy your day!
Friday, July 3, 2009
Startingpoint
If someone told me this morning, by nightfall you'll be blogging, I would have laughed out loud. How is it that at 43 years old, a Mother of three wonderful children, I am desperately trying to find myself? I have no idea how a blog is going to lead me to the path I was meant to follow, but it certainly can't hurt!
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